Ginkgo Bonsai Tree
Ginkgo Bonsai Tree
Price: On Request
Dimensions: 84" x 72" x 72"
Construction: 2004. Forged and cast silicon bronze, stone
Description: The folding and squashing of bar stock happened much by chance one day while playing around with hammer die effects.
It grew into a bit of an obsession - wanting to explore all the different ways metal could be folded and arranged to create totemic-like sculptures. As the size of the bar stock increased, so did the difficulties of bending and controlling the organized results of symmetry. As the groupings of folded and squashed bars multiplied so did the powerful effect of repetition of form. "Gateway" exemplified this outcome, creating a very interesting honeycombed effect across the mid-section of the piece.
The first step was to create a forged steel armature and organize the branches in space. Clay was then pressed over the armature, creating a highly modeled skin that reflected all the bark-like characteristics of the gingko tree. The completed superstructure was then handed over to the foundry for casting in bronze. Meanwhile I had scanned numerous real gingko leaves and imported them into a CAD program for final modifications and vector plotting. The files were then precision processed using water-jet cutting technology. Now the real chore began. Forging 700 realistic looking leaves took not only a great deal of time but resolve. Next, patience was tested as the delicate leaves were carefully welded to the branches. Setting the finished sculpture into its rock housing for the first time was a nostalgic moment and the realism of the piece was a complementary fit for the client's elegantly landscaped environment.
© 2010